Lady Cop
by Olazay
Summary: What would have happened if Trapper John had recognized Beckett's voice when she came into the bank dressed as a medic in Cops and Robbers? Alternate ending. I rate everything M, just in case I decide to add something later. Two-shot at the least, but leave a review if you want MOAR.
1. Chapter 1

**The Lady Cop **(slightly AU)

A/N:** When I watched Cops and Robbers recently, something nagged at me. Wouldn't Trapper John have recognized Beckett's voice from the phone when she came in dressed as a medic? He seems like a very observant person, and Beckett's "bedroom voice" is hard to forget ;). So this is my take on what would've happened if he had realized that it was the same lady on the phone.**

**Rating: M, for violence and dark themes (obviously)**

**Author: Charlotte**

**Disclaimer: As much as it pains me to say it, I don't own anything related to Castle. In Marlowe we trust.**

**So, without further ado, enjoy! **

RICK CASTLE'S POV:

Rick Castle' nearly stopped as he watched her come through the doors. Detective Kate Beckett was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Here she was, in her full glory, and he was so happy to see her he nearly gave it away.

Her light golden brown waves, those silky soft, perfect waves, were wrapped up in a messy bun, loose tendrils curling onto the navy medic's uniform she was wearing. Her luminous, sparkling jade green eyes catch his and he sees her relief. Castle can't believe she's standing in front of him; time moves in slow motion as she approaches. He thought he would never see her again, never see those beautiful rosy cheeks and those gorgeous high cheekbones and that immaculate oval face and that perfect slim nose and that bright, plump, luscious lipped smile again. That supple, smooth skin. That tall, slim but still curvy model-flawless frame and those long, long legs and-

Focus. This is important, this needs to go off without a hitch or he'll notice who she is. He can't believe how brave and selfless she's being. She's always like that, fearless compassion and empathy mixed with her fierce, rare intellect and intuition, but now more than ever he sees it. It's just like after she was shot, how when he saw her again in that hospital bed hooked up to machines and wires, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. Hell, half the men in the room do a double-take as she walks inside.

At last, he finds the power to speak. "Please, you have to help him. He started freaking out and having a seizure. His bracelet says he has epilepsy. Can you help him?"

"What's his name?" Beckett asks, playing along. He notices Trapper John looking at her strangely.

"Sal," Castle informs her, and at the same time Trapper John says, "Excuse me?"

Beckett's eyes widen just slightly before returning to normal size, and she turns to face him. "Yes?"

Trapper John's dark eyes narrow. "What's your name?"

He can see her chest rising and falling quickly, her fists clenching. "I...I don't see how that's relevant. Can I please just transport this man to-"

"Oh, I think it's very relevant, _Kate_," he snarled. Castle sees her breath hitch as he lifts the his pistol to her head.

Castle looks frantically at his mother, who is looking on in horror. Castle stares at Trapper John with terror, praying for him not to shoot her. Trapper John stares at her, and she stares back unafraid.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mr..."

"Oh, cut the crap," he laughs. "You think I'm so dumb I don't recognize a voice? You made a big mistake, Detective."

"Let this man get to a hospital."

"No, I think the police have definitely lost my trust. But you know what? We'll make this work." A knot forms in Castle's stomach as Trapper John circles her, all the other 'doctor's' aiming their guns at Beckett as well. "A cop hostage. One hell of a bargaining chip, don't you think, Kate?"

The words leave his mouth before he can stop them. "Just let her go."

A disgusting smile appears in his eyes, under his surgical mask. "I see no reason for that. I think that the cop's just made my job a lot easier. I'm sure you volunteered for the chance to see your boyfriend again, but I guess you really underestimated us. Clearly you don't work in Major Crimes. What are you anyway?"

Beckett just glowered at him wordlessly. He continued. "I suppose it doesn't really matter if you tell me; your friends will tell me if I ask. They'll do anything if I ask. Because I have you, Kate. And so I really do thank you for this opportunity. Come on, Dr. Howser." He turns to Dr. Huxtable. "Just shove the guy outside."

He grabs her upper arm and she winces at the grip as he pulls her away, Dr. Howser following close behind. Castle shoots up. "Wait!"

"Sit down!" Dr. Quinn orders loudly, her heavy accent morphing the words. Castle looks at them helplessly as Trapper John leads her towards the safety deposit box room and sits down, scooting over to regain his spot by his mother.

"Richard," Martha says sadly.

"Mother, what is he going to do with her?" Castle asks rhetorically, his voice cracking.

"Is that the cop that Trapper John was on the phone with?" Simone confirms, confused.

All he can do is nod and study the ground. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she says sympathetically.

"He won't kill her," one woman pipes up. "Wouldn't he go to jail for a really long time for killing a cop?"

"Somehow, I don't think that's going to stop him," Castle whispers.

"Richard, she's going to be fine. I can feel it," Martha assures him, stroking his arm. "Everyone is going to be okay."

Tears prick his eyes. She might die today. And there's nothing that he can do to stop it. At least he already told her that he loves her.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Simone asks gently.

"No, she's not my girlfriend. She's my partner. Homicide detective. Actually, I'm just a civilian consultant. But I'm still her partner. And she's a very good friend," Castle confesses, suddenly feeling the urge to get everything off his chest.

The woman rubbing Simone's arm looks at Castle. "You two must be very close."

"I love her," Castle answers honestly. "I told her 4 months ago, when she was shot in the heart. I told her I love her." He's not sure why he's sharing this very private information with a bunch of strangers, but he is. He wants to. Wants to let everybody know how much she means to him. Maybe if enough people know how much he loves her, it will keep her safe.

"She was shot in the heart?" a man pipes up incredulously. They all look at him. "I mean, I'm a cardiac resident doctor, and usually getting shot directly in the heart kills you instantly."

"Yeah, well, Kate is a fighter," Martha replies. "Had it been anyone else, I'm sure you are right. They would have died."

"She did die," Castle corrects quietly.

His mother looks at him in surprise. "What do you mean, she died?"

He runs a hand through his chocolate brown hair. "In...in the ambulance, she flatlined. It took them 4 minutes to bring her back to life, and then 7 minutes later she flatlined again just as we arrived at the hospital. Lanie was trying to revive her when they were wheeling her into the operating room, but it didn't work. I thought she was dead for sure."

"But she pulled through?" another man asked curiously. Once again, his powerful storytelling skills are captivating an audience.

Castle nodded, smiling weakly. "Well, clearly. You all just saw her. But she was in critical condition for 5 days. I never left her side. Finally, when she got back into stable territory, the nurse's made me go home. I ran out of string to pull. When she woke up, I visited her and I was the happiest man in the world."

There was a pause. "She's recovering spectacularly, it seems."

"She's incredibly strong. Athlete. She runs purely off of the coffees and bear claw's I bring her and she doesn't get nearly enough sleep, though. I've been trying to get her to at least take power naps on the couch in the police precinct. That helps, I think. She's just such a hard worker, you know? I mean, she's brilliantly smart, but she just doesn't realize that she needs to take care of herself too sometimes."

"Isn't she the one you based Nikki Heat off of?" a young woman inquires shyly.

"Oh, you've heard of her," Castle beams.

"I read about her in Cosmo magazine. She seems very smart. Youngest female detective ever, right?"

He feels proud. "Yep. She was first in her class in Stanford law school, and then again when she transferred to NYU campus to become a homicide detective."

"Wow," Simone whistles. "She really is something."

"Yeah, she is." Castle quiets down.

What is he doing, telling stories about her while she's being held hostage by Trapper John? Alone. Now that he's stopped talking, the despair crushes him again and he feels weak. It hits him whats happening. He can't believe this is happening.

But it is.

KATE BECKETT'S POV:

The gun presses into her back as Beckett is shoved down the hall and into the safety deposit room. Trapper John turns and looks at her. "Put your hands behind your back."

Dr. Howser moves to hold the gun at her stomach. Beckett doesn't move. The gun is jammed into her skin. Trapper John looks at her. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Kate."

Glaring at him, Beckett puts her hands together behind her back. It's all over for the other hostage's now. The robbers will get everything they want, all because of how selfish and stupid she was to volunteer to play medic. She should've KNOWN that Trapper John would notice her voice. What was she thinking? Trapper John takes a length of thin, soft white rope and walks over to her. Crossing her hands over each other, he winds the rope around and through multiple times until they are relentlessly tight, finishing it off with some fancy knot she can't reach.

Now she's vulnerable, much more so then before. Maybe not physically, since gunpoint does restrict all of your options, but now she's lost any bit of power she held over him. Any trace of it is now gone. Trapper John shoves her against the barred wall on the entrance and steps around to the hallway, reaching through to lash the rope binding her wrists as well as her upper arms firmly to the metal pole. She is blindsided, unable to see behind her, only allowed to face the inside of the room where Trapper John stands smugly. Dr. Howser has left, clearly unneeded.

"There, now we don't have to waste another gun on you," he chirps. She doesn't ease up on her death glare. "Oh, relax, Kate. Has anyone ever told you that you need to relax?"

"Well, this isn't my idea of a relaxing afternoon," Beckett snaps.

"She speaks!" Trapper John exclaims. He steps closer and closer to her, placing his hands on either side of body and leaning in. She squirms against the metal bars. "You know, you are even sexier than I imagined you to be. I suppose that makes my job easier."

She swallows thickly. "What is your job, exactly?"

"Oh, I have multiple jobs. But the one I was referring to was the task of babysitting you," Trapper John says, turning back to load documents out of a safety deposit box and into a bag. "It makes more since for you to be in here than just sitting out there with all the others. Yes, the smart lady cop, she might do something stupid like try and make a plan to charge us or something. Besides, you're worth more. Better leverage. I need to keep you close. The other cops will call back soon enough, and then I'll have them wrapped around my finger."

Beckett closed her eyes, the ink black lashes brushing her cheekbones. God, she was a disgrace to all cops. Letting herself get caught, endangering everyone in the building with her recklessness. No, no, she isn't caught yet. Is she can get free without him seeing and then distract him, maybe she could grab the gun sitting in the corner. She flexes her wrists, feels the taut rope around them. It isn't budging, not even when she twists her wrists or leans forward. She can't slip her hands out, either.

Trapper John doesn't look up from the papers he's sorting through. "Oh, I wouldn't do that, Kate. Don't wanna get permanent ligament damage. Trying to slip out of that is a waste of precious energy."

"Sorry, just trying to get a little more comfortable," Beckett quips sarcastically.

"I understand. Yep, you could be standing there for a while." He whirls around. "Tell you what." He grabs a tall stool from the far end of the room, used to reach the high up boxes, and kicks it over to her. She kicks it against the bars and sits down on it. "I'm getting a little bored. Why don't we have a little chat, hmm, Kate?"

Beckett regards him suspiciously. "A chat."

Trapper John gets the other stool and brings it directly across from her, sitting much too close as his knees press against hers. "Did I stutter?" She pressed back into the bars, wanting to put more distance between them. After a long pause of him studying her with those dark, glinting eyes, he speaks. "So, Richard Castle, huh? The famous novelist? How do you know him?"

"Why do you want to know?" Beckett demands cautiously.

"Just making conversation. Are you gonna answer the question or not, Kate?"

She remembers what Captain Peterson said. Keep him talking. As long as he's talking, he's not hurting hostages. "He shadows me for insight into what a homicide detective does."

"You must be Nikki Heat," Trapper John realizes happily. "Well, I'm sure this will give him something to write about, huh? That is, if he makes it out alive."

Beckett narrows her eyes further. "Has anyone ever told you that you're kind of an jackass?"

Trapper John bursts out laughing, but doesn't move from his spot across from her. "Kate. You know, I think that's what people have always thought about me. But they never had the nerve to say it to my face. How refreshing."

She takes her opportunity to interrogate him, just like her homicide cop instincts have been screaming at her to do. "So, what do people call you? Besides Trapper John."

"That was the least subtle interrogation technique I have ever seen," Trapper John chuckles.

"Just making conversation. Are you gonna answer the question or not, Trapper John?" Beckett recites coolly. His laughter fades as he looks at her.

"You can call me John for short. I know Trapper John is a mouthful."

She stares at him stoically. At last he gets up, flinging his stool into the wall. "When is that damn van getting here?!"

CASTLE'S POV:

He startled at the loud bang, looking at his mother. "What the hell was that?!"

She looks at him. "You're guess is as good as mine, darling."

BECKETT'S POV:

The phone finally rang. Trapper John grabbed it. "When is the van arriving?"

Beckett could hear the phone conversation clearly. "Where's the medic?"

John snorts. "Don't you mean, where's Detective Beckett?"

There's a pause. "What did you do with her?"

"Oh, Kate's perfectly fine. Just a little tied up at the moment. I repeat my question. When is that van arriving?"

"It's on it's way, traffic is stalling it."

"Is that right?"

"Let me talk to her."

The phone is shoved to her ear. "Captain Peterson?"

"Detective Beckett, are you all right?"

She glances at Trapper John."I'm fine."

"Where are you?"

"Oh, go ahead, tell him," Trapper John urges menacingly.

"I...we're in the safety deposit box. Just the two of us," Beckett informs him.

Peterson's voice lowers. "Can you reach a gun?"

Trapper John scowls and snatches the phone away. "No, she can't reach a damn gun. Now where is my van?!"

"I told you, it's on it's way. Anything we can do for you in the meantime?" Peterson's voice is calm and collected.

Trapper John put his hand over the receiver. "Got any other partners, Kate?"

She stays silent until he raises the Glock at her. "Detectives Ryan and Esposito."

Trapper John smiles and resumes his conversation. "Tell Detectives Ryan and Esposito that I have their partner." He hangs up the phone. Beckett shudders as he steps closer and runs a hand over her hair, watching her wince as he's painfully yanking out the bun she had crafted this morning. The thick, wavy, long strands swirl around her shoulders and softly trail partly down her back. "Ever been shot, Kate?"

She hates this, but she knows she has to keep him talking. "Yes."

"So you know what it feels like," Trapper John continues, pacing in front of her. "The burn of the bullet as it breaks through your skin. The flame blossoming from the point of origin and enveloping all of your senses until all you know is unbearable pain."

"Stop," Beckett grits out.

"The ache of blood, dripping, dripping out of you. Flooding out. The emptiness, the coldness, the aloneness. The betrayal at how something you rely on like a gun to protect you is what's killing you," Trapper John whispers.

All Beckett can do is stare daggers at him and he edges closer. "Of course, it doesn't always feel like that. For example, getting shot in the shoulder-" he shrugs and position the pistol against her shoulder. "That's not as bad, right?" He moved the gun to the center of her chest. "Not as bad as that would be."

Adrenaline rushes through her. Beckett knew she had PTSD, having had a few major breakdowns since it happened and more than a few minor ones. Now, she was flashing back to the cemetery. The bullet, just like he said, triggering the maddening pain she was feeling all over again. Tears prick her eyes, seeing the blue of the clear sky mixed with blue of Castle's eyes.

"Kate, I love you. I love you, Kate."

Staring into space, her eyes wide with terror and panic, she jerked against the ropes anchoring her to the metal pole. A tear escaped her eye and rolled down her face. Now, it was going to happen again. The pain of the shooting. He was right; Beckett had felt so scared and little and alone when she was shot, like a little girl. Now, all the emotions flashed back to her. Now, she felt the paranoia and fear that she would get shot again. There were people who wanted to kill her out there, like him. They were going to get her, and she couldn't do a single thing about it. Trapped in a room with a murderous, insane bankrobber. Tears leaked out of her eyes, spilling down her face, as she twisted frantically against the restraints, panicking. She had to get out of here, now, now, before he shot her. Tell Castle she loved him back.

With a gasp, Beckett returned to the present. She looked at her lap, breathing deeply, trying to calm herself down. She hated that he'd broken her, seen her like this. As she grounded herself again, she realized that he was staring at her. She looked up at him furiously, tears streaking her face. He looked confused, conflicted. She kept breathing deeply, her chest heaving with anger and the crippling fear and despair.

Trapper John spoke. "Don't cry, Kate. It'll all be over soon enough." After a pause, he wiped some tears off her face before walking out of the room. As soon as she heard his footsteps fade away, she put her chin against her chest and let her face crumple, sobbing quietly.

CASTLE'S POV:

He looked up as Trapper John reentered the room. The look on his face was haunting, an apprehensive, uncomfortable, sad combination. Dr. Howser walked briskly over to him. They were quiet, but Castle could hear everything.

"You left her alone?!" Dr. Howser hissed, his British accent sharp and demanding.

"I tied her to the bars of the door," Trapper John whispered. "She's not going anywhere." Castle gulped.

"Don't underestimate her," came the quiet reply. "You should be keeping an eye on her."

"I will, relax," Trapper John whispered commandingly. "I pointed the gun at her again and she had some kind of panic attack. I can't be in there." Dr. Howser hesitated before walking away.

All the hostages looked at Castle, who made a snap decision. "Trapper John?"

Trapper John glared at him. "What?"

Castle took a breath, his heart pounding. "Could...Could I see her, please?"

The other robbers started to protest, but Trapper John looked at him and butted in. "Fine. For a minute." He pointed his gun at him. "No funny business." The gun pointed at him, Castle was led down the hall to the safety deposit box room, where the first thing he noticed was two hands and two upper arms tied tightly to the metal pole. He could just see her back, but it looked like she was sitting down on a step stool and her shoulders were shaking. Castle looked at Trapper John.

"Go on. I'll wait here. If I see you try anything, your girlfriend's dead," Trapper John snarled, aiming the gun at her head.

Beckett's body shot up, her body still. Castle ran around to the other side to kneel in front of her. "Kate," he cooed breathlessly.

Her bloodshot eyes and streaked face broke his heart. She looked at him. "Castle, what are you doing here?"

"I asked to see you," Castle replied. She leaned forward as far as she could, and he wrapped his arms around her. He whispered into her ear. "I'm so sorry, Kate."

"About what? Castle, this isn't your fault."

"I know, I just hate this so much," Castle sighed. "And I hate to see you cry."

"Yeah, well, so do I. I...I had a PTSD attack right in front of him," Beckett whimpered.

Guilt and shock and sadness hit him. "I didn't know you had PTSD."

She managed a shrug. "I never told you."

He wiped tears off her face, and she flinched. Castle looked at her with concern. "I'm sorry," Beckett apologized. "It's just...Trapper John touched my face like that after I came down from the attack."

A rush of anger went through him. "He touched your face after you were crying? What kind of a bipolar freak is he?" Castle hissed furiously.

"I don't know. I'm...I think I'm okay now," Beckett said, taking a breath. Castle wiped the remains of her tears and evidence of crying off her face before cupping her cheek. She leaned into it and whispered, "Is he watching?"

Castle looked up subtly. "Yeah. Why?"

"Can you untie me without him noticing, do you think? Loosen the ropes or anything?"

Castle moved her body to look at her wrists. Blood dripped down onto the seat. "You're bleeding!"

"Shhhhh!" Beckett instructed. "I'm okay. I just fought against the rope and it cut into my hands."

He looked at her helplessly, sadly. "Stop doing that, then. You'll hurt yourself."

"Castle! C'mon, we need a plan," Beckett whispered. "Do you think you could go up to Trapper John and knock him out?"

"He'll kill you before my fist touches him," Castle argued.

"Not if you do it fast," she countered. "We can't just do nothing!"

"Hey, wrap it up, pretty boy," Trapper John ordered.

Castle closed his eyes and kissed her forehead, taking her face in his hands. "I have to go, but it'll all be fine. Okay? I promise." He kisses her forehead again and wraps his arms around her, hugging her as she leans into him.

He gets up and walks back to the circle of hostages before Trapper John can shoot her.

**So, what do you guys think? Should I continue it? Leave a review and tell me what you think and if I should add a second chapter. **


	2. Charlotte's Prompt

A/N: Wow! I was really surprised by the amount of reviews and favorites! I would've updated sooner, but I was camping... this is a difficult fic to write because I get attached to characters and I don't like torturing them xD but I'm going to do my best. I think this will be longer than a two-shot if more people respond, plus I don't see how I could really finish a proper plot line in just two chapters.

But anyway, I'm sure you just want to get on with the story and so without further ado, the next installment of Lady Cop.

BECKETT'S POV:

She blinked back the remains of her tears, internally kicking herself for letting herself be weak in front of Trapper John. Now he had leverage over her. Beckett swore to herself that she would remain strong from this point on. She had to be. Beckett steeled herself, waiting for him to return to the SDB room. Trapper John appeared as expected, and looked into a suitcase. She peered over as well to see what looked like C4. A lot of it, connected together by wires.

"So, what's really going on here?" Beckett piped up, as Trapper John appeared hesitant.

"In hindsight, it might not have been the brightest idea to store you in here, where you ask annoying questions," he growled.

"Just one question so far, actually," Beckett retorted.

Trapper John looked at her, irritated. "Shut up."

She ignored him. "You aren't going to get away with this, you know. Might as well turn yourself in now, reduce your sentence."

"Oh, Kate. That's the best part. We ARE going to get away with it," Trapper John corrected. "A cop hostage gives us the biggest advantage you could imagine."

"I won't be a hostage forever. And once we've parted ways, I won't stop until you and all your little bankrobber friends are in prison where you belong," Beckett threatened, trying to regain control of the situation.

"And what makes you think you'll come out of this alive, Kate?" he asked jovially.

"You don't want to kill a cop, do you? My partners won't stop until they catch you."

A/N: This is all I've written, I'm having serious writer's block. And so I present you a challenge: using the prompt above, finish the chapter yourself and PM it to me! I will choose the best and publish it with the author's name. And yes, this is an attempt to continue a story I have abandoned for the sake of the small group of people who want me to continue.


	3. Chapter 2- By Cassie Bones

This is by Cassie Bones, an excellent writer! Check out her stories if you haven't already.

BECKETT'S POV:

She blinked back the remains of her tears, internally kicking herself for letting herself be weak in front of Trapper John. Now he had leverage over her. Beckett swore to herself that she would remain strong from this point on. She had to be. Beckett steeled herself, waiting for him to return to the SDB room. Trapper John appeared as expected, and looked into a suitcase. She peered over as well to see what looked like C4. A lot of it, connected together by wires.

"So, what's really going on here?" Beckett piped up, as Trapper John appeared hesitant.

"In hindsight, it might not have been the brightest idea to store you in here, where you ask annoying questions," he growled.

"Just one question so far, actually," Beckett retorted.

Trapper John looked at her, irritated. "Shut up."

She ignored him. "You aren't going to get away with this, you know. Might as well turn yourself in now, reduce your sentence."

"Oh, Kate. That's the best part. We ARE going to get away with it," Trapper John corrected. "A cop hostage gives us the biggest advantage you could imagine."

"I won't be a hostage forever. And once we've parted ways, I won't stop until you and all your little bankrobber friends are in prison where you belong," Beckett threatened, trying to regain control of the situation.

"And what makes you think you'll come out of this alive, Kate?" he asked jovially.

"You don't want to kill a cop, do you? My partners won't stop until they catch you."

Trapper John scoffed. "I'd like to see them try," he said, cruelly, before straightening and walking to the door. He glanced outside, then to Kate, then back outside. "Okay," he said, "get up. You're going to sit with the others."

Kate attempted to stand, but with her hands tied behind her back, it was futile. "I can't," she said, "I'm a little tied up at the moment."

Trapper John laughed. "The cop is funny," he said, grinning as he walked over, grabbing her arms roughly to help her up. Kate hissed as she felt a pain in her shoulder and heard a light popping sound.

She cried out in pain. "My shoulder!" she exclaimed. Trapper John rolled his eyes.

"Don't be such a baby," he growled, pulling her back out into the main lobby. Castle's eyes widened the moment he saw Kate emerge. He tried to catch her eye but noticed that she was wincing in pain as Trapper John practically dragged her over to the circle, before throwing her towards them.

"Take a seat," he ordered, "and no funny business."

Kate did as she was told, taking a seat right next to Castle, who helped her down gently.

"Kate," he said, looking very concerned, "are you okay?"

Kate was practically tearing up as she looked at him but she forced her voice to remain steady.

"Castle," she said, "would you happen to know how to repair a dislocated shoulder?"

Anger flashed through Castle's eyes and he nodded, turning her body gently so he could undo the knot on her hands. Kate winced as he jostled her arm slightly, but stayed silent so as not to spook him. Finally, the rope was untied and Kate could move her arms again. She did so carefully as she turned back around, her face a mask of pain.

Castle looked at her concernedly. "What did he do to you?" he whispered, glaring over at where Trapper John was talking to Dr. Huxtable.  
"He pulled a little too ** my arms to help me up," Kate answered, wincing, "do you know how to fix it?"

Castle nodded. "Yeah. Alexis did this a couple of times in her reckless phase."

Kate scoffed. "Alexis had a reckless phase?" she said, skeptically. "Seriously?"

"She was seven and she liked climbing things," Castle responded. "Tall things that she couldn't get down from by herself. Sometimes, she would," he popped Kate's arm back in quickly, before she could react, "fall." Kate whimpered at the pain, burying her head in his shoulder, instinctively, a couple of sobs breaking loose. Martha reached around Castle to pat her back.

"It's going to be alright, Dear," she soothed. "We'll get you a real doctor when we get out of here. Everything's going to be just fine, you'll see." Kate mumbled something into Castle's shoulder.

"What was that?" Castle asked, looking down at her. Kate looked up, tears streaming down her face.

"I said, 'if we get out.' Trapper John said that there's not a really big chance of us getting out of this alive. I think he's planning something, Castle." Castle's heart broke from the woman next to him; the woman he once thought was so strong and sure of herself was having doubts.

"We'll get out of here," Castle insisted, "alive and well. I promise."  
"You can't—"

"Yes," he said, "I can and I am. We're going to make it back to them, Kate. Back to Alexis and your father and Ryan and Esposito and Lanie…even Gates will be thrilled to see us when we get back. I promise you. Okay?"

Kate nodded. "Okay," she said, quietly, before laying her head on his shoulder again. "But how?"

"I'm thinking," Castle said, looking around. Suddenly, they were interrupted by a phone ringing. Trapper John answered it.

"Where's my van?" he barked into the phone, then listened for the answer. "It better be," he growled, "or else Detective Beckett's gonna be the first to go. Got it? You have five minutes." He hung up. "Alright!" he shouted, turning to the circle of hostages. "Everybody up now! We're moving you back!"

Castle's eyes widened in fear and Martha's hand clenched his shoulder. Kate noticed their stricken expressions.

"What?" she asked, worriedly, "what's wrong?"

Castle turned to her, fear etched in his eyes. "Kate…they have C4."

Kate's eyes widened. "What?" she hissed. "Wha—how do you know?"

"I saw it about fifteen minutes ago; before you came in. I was going to try to get a message to you but then Sal had the seizure and you were here. Everything just went by so fast. I'm sorry, Kate, I failed."

Kate cupped his cheek. "Castle," she said, "this isn't your—"

"Hey you!" Dr. Quinn shouted, pointing her gun at them. "Get up and get a move on. NOW."

They did as they were told, Castle standing up first before gently pulling Kate to her feet, keeping his arm around her as they made their way to the back, in a barred room with a bunch of security boxes on every wall. They shuffled in, taking a seat near Martha, who looked relieved to see them. As soon as Castle sat down, Martha slapped the back of his head.

"Are you trying to get yourselves killed?" she scolded. Castle glared at her, rubbing his head and Kate couldn't suppress a tiny chuckle, which evaporated as she caught sight of the robbers setting up timers outside, attached to bombs rigged with C4. Her chuckle turned into a gasp and she grabbed Castle's hand. He turned to her.

"What is i—"

Her mouth on his cut his question off, his eyes widening slightly in surprise before closing as he leaned into the kiss, moaning slightly.

When she pulled back, Kate's eyes were filled with tears and her forehead was leaning against his. "I'm so sorry, Castle," she whispered, kissing his lips softly again. "I'm so sorry."

"This isn't your fault, Kate," Castle responded. "You couldn't have known he would recognize-"

"Not that," Kate said, shaking her head. "No, I mean…I lied to you…"

"About what?" Castle asked, confused.

"About that day…about what I remember…"

Martha gasped behind him, but Castle paid her no mind, his eyes filling up with hurt. "But…why?"

Kate shook her head. "I don't know. I think it's because I was scared, but that's ridiculous. And then I figured it was because I wasn't ready—because I'm too **ed up for you."

"That's ridiculous," Castle huffed, but Kate placed her finger on his lips, silencing him. "And now I realize that there's no use fighting it anymore, because we only have so much time in this world and right now…it's about to be taken away, Castle and I don't want to die without you knowing how much I…" she faltered.

"How much you…?" Castle prompted.

Kate looked up into his bright blue eyes, her own green ones shining with unshed tears.

"Richard Castle," she said, softly, cupping his cheek, "I love you."


End file.
